Beginningfarmers.org Founder Taylor Reid is Leaving the Website After Extra Than 13 Years
I began beginningfarmers.org in 2008 whereas I used to be a Doctoral pupil at Michigan State College learning the motivations and studying processes of first technology farmers. My first weblog submit in 2008 famous that “We’re presently witnessing a lack of household farms, an growing old inhabitants of farmers, and an more and more international and consolidated meals system, all of which create issues about meals safety, the well being of rural communities, and financial and environmental sustainability. On the identical time, a rise in direct advertising, client demand for native merchandise, and the variety of small farms on the city fringe provide vital counterpoints to those tendencies. New, first-generation farmers are vital actors in growing and sustaining these tendencies. The experiences and practices of recent farmers might assist develop an alternate agricultural mannequin for household farms struggling to compete with giant scale and international producers, and represent an vital cultural useful resource for selling wholesome communities, wholesome consuming habits, environmental sustainability, and social dialogue on meals associated points.”
Whereas all of that is nonetheless true, on the time I discovered that there was some good info on the web for starting and aspiring farmers, nevertheless it was scattered and tough to entry. The unique function of the location was to convey that info collectively in a central place. Little did I do know on the time that the location can be so profitable, that it might proceed to be part of my life for greater than a decade, or that I’d go on to writer greater than 65oo weblog posts over that point.
Beginningfarmers.org continues to be a fantastic useful resource for info that’s helpful to aspiring and starting farmers, and it’s mounted pages will stay accessible. However is not the one supply on the web for locating these sources. The USDA web site https://www.farmers.gov/your-business/beginning-farmers, Cornell Small Farms, Nationwide Younger Farmers Coalition, ATTRA, and plenty of others present nice sources for people who’re an beginning a farm.
One of many accomplishments I’m most pleased with is the position that beginningfarmers.org has had in connecting interns, apprentices, and farm job seekers with farms providing alternatives. I do know quite a lot of farms have come to depend on the location and it has helped to position hundreds of individuals in on farms over time. However there are additionally a number of different sources for this that present this service now. I extremely suggest the Comfood Jobs Listing, ATTRA’s Internship Listings, and Good Meals Jobs.
It has been my pleasure to serve you for the final 13+ years. I want you all the perfect of luck, and completely happy farming!
Beginningfarmers.org Founder Taylor Reid
